In recent years, a flexible device in which a functional element such as a semiconductor element, a display element, or a light-emitting element is provided over a flexible substrate has been developed and put to practical use. Typical examples of the flexible device include a lighting device, an image display device, a variety of semiconductor circuits including a semiconductor element such as a transistor, and the like. In addition, a variety of methods for manufacturing these devices have been proposed. A front or back surface of a flexible component or device is covered with a film-like support body made of a synthetic resin, for example, for purposes such as protecting internal elements and ensuring flexibility. The flexible component or device is processed through a variety of steps of transferring (transporting) a film-like member which is a partially finished product, attaching the film-like member to another member, mounting a component on the film-like member, and the like and is manufactured using a variety of members. A film-like member which serves as a support body in a plate-like product such as a flexible device is covered with protective sheets on both sides and supplied from a roll. Therefore, when the film-like member is cut into a desired size and the protective sheet on one side is peeled, the film-like member is deformed by warping because of an imbalance of internal stress.
In order to smooth out creases in a band-like film moving in a longitudinal direction, a film crease removing apparatus for smoothing out creases continuously by blowing air from an air vent onto the band-like film is proposed (Patent Document 1). The film crease removing apparatus can smooth out creases in a band-like member but cannot smooth out creases or deformation of each cut film. In the case of a film-like member which is sensitive to damage, a surface to be held by a holding means is often only one predetermined surface. In other words, both surfaces of a film substrate cannot be held by a holding means such as a transfer hand.
Furthermore, in order to smooth out creases in a cut film substrate, a method and an apparatus for removing creases from the film substrate are proposed (Patent Document 2), in which air is expelled from a porous member on a stage, the film substrate is placed thereon to attach it by suction, and a pressing gas is blown from above the film substrate. The crease removing method and apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2 smooth out creases in a film substrate by synchronously swinging a pair of blow outlet pipes provided with a plurality of ejection nozzles. This swing mechanism is complex and might cause a breakdown or the like; therefore, as simple a mechanism as possible is preferable. Furthermore, the crease removing method and apparatus can smooth out creases in a lower surface of a film substrate but cannot hold the lower surface of the film substrate with a transfer hand or the like because the lower surface of the film substrate is in contact with an upper surface of the porous member.